Training That Doesn't Suck

Author: Landon

I'm a small town mama's boy.
I like to learn things, and I like to teach things.
I like to read, cook, play music and play outdoors.
I enjoy yoga, guns, music, tea, dancing, hiking, and an enriching conversation.
Professionally, I am a full-time Firefighter/Paramedic, adjunct college faculty, contract educator, dance studio owner, and freelance writer/speaker.

From time to time, I will be in conversation with a company officer, and I’ll hear something like: “This employee I have just isn’t making it. He won’t put in the effort. He’s got a bad attitude.”

Naturally, I ask them this question:

“Is it possible that they need something from you that they’re not getting?”

Which is typically met with a mix of sputtering, wide eyes, and a rush to defend their unassailable leadership skills. Often, this includes informing me that I simply don’t understand the apparently mysterious inner workings and behind-the-scenes magic of management.

There is a simple principle called the 100/100 rule, which has been around for a long time. The idea is simple:

In any relationship that is not functioning well, the responsibility for this dysfunction lies 100% with you, and 100% with the other party, because either of you can fix it.

This isn’t that terribly hard to understand. Most nod their heads, murmur “uh-huh” and proceed to repeat that the problem in this situation is that the other party isn’t bringing their 100%.

Many officers are quick to point out that their subordinates aren’t bringing their best, and they then use this as an excuse not to do their job.

We all love to saddle others with the responsibility for failure, but we’re terrified to examine our own participation in their lack of success.Read More »

There are an abundance of memes, stories, poems, placards, and t-shirts that deify the firefighter as a hero.

I don’t like it.

Many won’t like it, but I liken our work to that of the trash collector (whom I profoundly respect.)

If, every time a trash collector turned onto a street lined with full trash cans, he lost his mind with excitement, we would consider him quite foolish. Yet, do we not do this with structure fires?

If a trash collector climbed inside his compactor before he crushed the trash, just to prove he was brave and badass, we would call it idiotic, impractical showboating. Yet, our culture still dives into high risk environments when there is little tactical need.

And when a firefighter dies, we comfort ourselves with thoughts of their heroism and bravery.

If trash collectors were routinely getting killed doing their job, we would all say “This is unacceptable. We MUST find a way to accomplish this job without killing people all the time.”

When you really think about it, the role of company officer is a stupidly difficult, never-ending, generally thankless position.

At least, when it’s done well, it is.

You’re responsible for the mistakes of everyone who works for you, yet you defer praise to your team.

You can no longer truly be “one of the guys”. You sacrificed that part of the camaraderie when you took the oath to keep them safe at all costs.

Your job is to enable them, to teach them, to help them, to remove any obstacles and take any bullets so that they can focus on their jobs.

You are duty bound to look out for the people in your care, emotionally, mentally, physically. You must guide and help them in their work and their home lives as best you can.

You, more than anyone, must put the team before the individual, and the mission before the team. You must make and live with hard decisions, on a scene or in the station.

Lately, I’ve noticed that most guys like the idea of having a bugle on their collar a lot more than they like the idea of actually doing this job. They’re more committed to the inflated ego associated with promotion than they are to accepting the enormous responsibility of servitude that comes with leadership.

This is a poignant video, and an excellent reminder that, to a victim, the fire service has a single identity. To them, there is no difference between me and the guy one district over. They do not see patches, turnout or helmet colors, operational differences, district boundaries, or politics.

They have a problem, and they see a problem solver. It would do us well to remember this.

Sometimes, when talking shop, I start to hear a brother talking about the fire like it’s out to get us. Like the fire wants us to be hurt or injured. As though, when a building burns, the flames are maliciously planning the ways in which they can accomplish your demise.

While I appreciate the need to have a healthy respect for the inherent danger associated with any fire incident, I don’t really believe in characterizing the fire as a villain with malicious intent.

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I'm a small town mama's boy.
I like to learn things, and I like to teach things.
I like to read, cook, play music and play outdoors.
I enjoy yoga, guns, music, tea, dancing, hiking, and an enriching conversation.

Professionally, I am a full-time Firefighter/EMT, a dance studio owner, and a freelance writer/speaker.